David Warner has hit back at the row between the Australia players and Cricket Australia regarding the pay dispute.
A new deal has yet to be struck and the issue has started to affect potential tours, including an Australia A tour to South Africa.
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The Australia opener took to Instagram on Thursday to air his frustrations regarding the matter.
‘This Baggy Green (cap) means the world to me,’ said Warner. Myself and all the other players, female and male, want to get out there and play.
‘We offered $24 million of our money to grassroots as a peace plan. It was ignored. We asked for mediation twice before and it was rejected. Now CA says there is a crisis.
‘The players are unemployed and some are hurting financially but continue to train. Administrators all still being paid. How is it our fault no deal is done?’
After months of negotiations, the players and CA have failed to reach an agreement, leaving 230 cricketers unemployed since their expired contracts at the end of June.
According to Sports 24, CA chief executive James Sutherland criticised the ACA, who remained adamant that players must receive a percentage of the game’s gross revenues.
‘We feel that what has been proposed actually jeopardises not only the Bangladesh tour but in turn the Indian tour that is upcoming and beyond that even – dare I say it – the Ashes tour,’ Sutherland said on Thursday.
‘We have concerns that the urgency at our end is not being reciprocated at the other side and that’s why we can hopefully bring the matter to resolution and failing that an independent arbitrator to come in, make a decision and we accept the umpire’s decision.’
The ACA hit back blaming CA for the dragged out negotiations.
‘This dispute has arisen from Cricket Australia’s attempts to, without making the case, end a successful 20-year partnership with players,’ it said.
‘Cricket Australia has lost the players and most of the game’s stakeholders in the process.’
